Local News

A Joyful Noise

Music, people fill City Park for band shell dedication

By Jenni Grubbs

Times Staff Writer

Posted:
05/05/2014 07:03:51 AM MDT

The large crowd gets ready for the next song from the Morgan Community College Platte Valley Band at the dedication ceremony Saturday, of the Dahms-Talton Band Shell in Fort Morgan City Park. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

Click photo to enlarge

The Morgan Community College Jazz Ensemble peforms "Here Comes My Ball and Chain" at the Dahms-Talton Band Shell dedication ceremony Saturday, at Fort Morgan City Park.

The sound of musical performances is not uncommon in Fort Morgan City Park, but what the large crowd gathered there Saturday afternoon heard was somewhat different.

That's because the harmonious sounds spreading throughout the park were coming from the musicians and vocalists within the Dahms-Talton Band Shell during the dedication ceremony for the new structure.

People came from far and wide to witness the opening ceremony for the band shell, which was funded by donations and grants from community members, businesses, organizations and foundations, rather than tax-payer dollars.

"This has been a dream," said Martha Bieber, chair of Setting the Stage Band Shell Committee and master of ceremonies at the dedication. "All of this was made possible because of the generous community."

People listen to the sounds coming from the new Dahms-Talton Band Shell at its dedication ceremony Saturday at Fort Morgan City Park. The crowd included all ages and came from around Morgan County and across the country. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

Oasis Masonic Lodge No. 67 placed a time capsule in the structure filled with items related to the city's musical history and the process of getting the band shell built.

"This time capsule will not be seen by human eyes for generations to come," said Joel Canfield, of Oasis Lodge.

Fort Morgan Mayor Terry McAlister talked about the city's diversity and the changes that have occurred since the first band shell was removed from City Park in 1966. He pointed to the wide outpouring of support from the community to get it built.

"I think this structure is what the city's been looking for to bring us all together," the mayor said.

McAlister wore a bright green shirt with black palm trees on it to the dedication ceremony. He told the crowd that he wore it because it felt more fitting "for a fun day" than just a suit and tie.

"I want everyone to have a good time," the mayor said. "Let's enjoy what we built."

The audience was treated to performances by several local musical groups, who also were a part of the "Fort Morgan Soundscape" 2-CD set recorded through the Morgan Community College Center for Arts and Community Enrichment for this celebration. It is still available from CACE with a suggested $25 donation.

Oasis Masonic Lodge members Joel Canfield, left, and Brad Wickham place the time capsule at the Dahms-Talton Band Shell at the dedication ceremony Saturday at Fort Morgan City Park. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

The performing groups included: the MCC Platte Valley Band, MCC Morgan County Chorale, MCC Jazz Ensemble and a combination of these bands and choirs plus MCC Voices on the Plains and Singers, Limited on closing number "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Beyond Bieber, there were several speakers who talked about the significance of the new band shell, the people behind it and the names it bears on the overall structure and the stage.

Alan Dahms explained that he and his wife Polli, who donated $100,000 to the project and had the naming rights as a result, chose "Dahms-Talton Band Shell" in honor of their parents.

"Polli and I are just honored to be part of the big group of folks who made it happen," Alan Dahms said. "It really would be nice if this is used for all sorts of things."

Corliss Littlefield, of major contributor Bloedorn Foundation, recalled coming to the old band shell in City Park.

"It was so much fun to come here," she said. "It was usually the Fort Morgan High School Band playing, but also there were dances and contests. There were lots of things that went on at that band shell stage."

She said she looked forward to what would happen on the new band shell stage.

The new stage bears the name of one of the city's strongest supporters of music, who died during the early fundraising process: Homer Wickham.

His family knew how much he had wanted to support the new band shell and see it come to fruition, so they contributed $50,000.

As a major contributor, the Wickham family was given the option of naming the stage, which Homer's son, Howard Wickham, said sounded perfect.

"He loved to perform, and usually that meant being on the stage," Howard Wickham said of his father. "Today, our whole family is thrilled to be here for the dedication of the Dahms-Talton Band Shell and the Homer Wickham Stage. He'd have his hands up over his head clapping, and he'd be cheering us on."

Helping guide the fundraising process for the band shell were Setting the Stage Band Shell Committee members Mary Zorn and Sharon Bishop.

"I'm very happy," Zorn said. "It's just come together very well, and I couldn't have asked for a better spring day."

"I couldn't be happier," Bishop said. "I had classmates from out of town come. They all bought (fundraising) bricks. It's been an awesome experience."

She pointed out that the donations for the band shell came from all over the country, including 19 different states. Those people had connections to Fort Morgan and wanted to be a part of its history by having their names carved on bricks in the band shell.

Architect Chris Wineman, of Semple Brown Design in Denver, reiterated his awe that the community was able to pull together enough money to build the band shell in as short of a time as it did.

"This is thrilling," he said. "Not every community does this. Not every community reaches the finish line. This has happened so quickly. To have the community, city and college working in partnership and to have great weather (today) is just a great thing."

Wineman said the completed band shell "really is everything" he had hoped it would be in designing it, and the performances at the dedication "did a good job of demonstrating a range of musical styles" being played in it.

"A number of folks found me during the performances to say how pleased they were with how clear it was," Wineman said. "That's just a good feeling."

The musical group directors also said they were happy with the new band shell.

"It's fantastic," Platte Valley Band Director Chuck Morgan said. "The sound that comes out of this, from the design, is everything they said it would be. It just projects wonderfully."

"Performing inside, it was easy to hear the other performers," MCC Morgan County Chorale Director Tertia Cain said. "I'm looking forward to it being used in several different genres in a variety of ways."

"I think this is going to get a lot of use," said MCC President Dr. Kerry Hart. "While conducting 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' I was blown away by the sound. The acoustics on this are phenomenal."

The musical sounds in the park Saturday afternoon certainly got people's heads bobbing, feet and knees bouncing, hands clapping and even more movement.

In fact, when the MCC Jazz Ensemble started playing, Wickham's grandson, Joey Revier, and fiancée Chaundra Nelms, both of Boulder, jumped up and started swing dancing on the grass on the side of the band shell, drawing some cheers.

A reception was hosted by CACE at MCC earlier in the day to honor the major donors for the project.

"Today we celebrate our musical heritage and our musical future," Zorn said at the receoption. "This community embraced Setting the Stage with hearts and checkbooks in excess of $400,000. I think the best is yet to come."